Why is my rescue cat scratching her neck and head until it bleeds?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed
Hello, our new rescue cat approximately 1 year old keep scratching her neck, sometime top of her head until she bleeds. We tried switching food to sensitive allergie food no difference. Thank you
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on May 9th, 2018
Hello. Scratching to this degree could still be the result of some sensitivity, to fleas, pollens or other environmental stimulants. Very few cats will scratch because of a food sensitivity. Most of these cats will vomit or have diarrhea. It is possible that fleas may be the cause, so even though you may not see any fleas on her, you should use a good flea product on a regular basis, even if Maarten is strictly indoors. You might want to have your veterinarian examine her to rule out a parasitic issue, infection, the presence of ear mites, & possibly try a short course of steroids to see if this allows the lesions to heal. Then you can work on the possible underlying cause of her sensitivities. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on March 23rd, 2018
This is probably caused by an allergic reaction. first of all make sure you de-flea Lina regularly every month with a high quality spot on (ex. Advantage) as fleas are by far the most common reason for these reactions. If the fleas are not the problem, it could be an allergic reaction to food or an environmental factor. this is more complicated to treat and will sometimes require medications such as Steroids, anti histamines or cyclosporin in order to stop the allergy.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
Hi , my cat has been scratching excessively on the top of her head and on her jaws. She has been licking excessively too.
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! This is possibly due to allergies. She does have a very large open wound that does require therapy and warrants veterinary evaluation as soon as possible. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
We rescued a stray short haired female cat approx 1 year old now, she has thick scabs all around her neck and hind legs, and small scabs on her back near her tail where she also pulls her hair out daily. We brush her as mush as possible. She loves u
That's lovely of you to rescue Zoey! It sounds like she has fleas, which she would get from being a stray. The fleas would cause excessive scratching, leading to scabs and her pulling her hair out. She will need a flea treatment. First, I would give her Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash her bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. Sometimes cats can have a flea allergy, and you will see scratching even after being flea treated and disinfecting the environment. If she does continue scratching after treatment and disinfection of the environment, you will have to take her to the vet for medication. If
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have a female 4 year old tuxedo cat. She cleans herself a lot but lately she does it nonstop and scratches so much she has a ton of scabs on her chin and neck. She doesn’t have flees. I’ve checked Several times. Secondly, she sleeps in my room wit
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for env
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cat is constantly scratching at her ears right above her eyes and is always bleeding and has scabs. She is an indoor cat and doesn’t have mites or fleas. She is about 12 and we adopted her 2 years ago- a Siberian cat. She eats Blue Buffalo food. P
I am sorry to hear about your kitty! If her ears have been checked by a vet to ensure there is no infection I would be suspicious she could have an allergy, either to a food ingredient https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951526 (most often a protein source and not grain as so many pet food commercials would have you believe) or an allergy to something in the environment like pollen/dust/etc. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952664 . I would recommend bringing Chessie into the vet for an examination. This often requires at least a short course of medication to get the itching under control, such as a steroid, Atopica (cyclosporine) or Apoquel. The vet can discuss if a diet trial with a hypoallergenic diet is recommended and help you decide on the best diet for Chessie to try.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
heal or stop cat scratching. noticing scabs only to face and to ears. recently to vet no worms or fleas. cat indoor only. idk what she is reacting too. notice scabs on ears too. i see her scatch self influcted? maybe i need to change food. have been
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! This is possibly due to allergies. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewardi
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cat won't stop scratching and itching around her head/neck area. The vet put flea medicine on her two days ago but she's STILL itching. She also wheezes/snores in her sleep.
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! This is likely due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergi
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Training & Behavior
My cat has these big scabs on her face and neck. She then scratches them off in turn making them bleed and become bigger scabs. What do I do? An E-Cone isn’t an option.
This is probably caused by an allergic reaction. first of all make sure you de-flea Lina regularly every month with a high quality spot on (ex. Advantage) as fleas are by far the most common reason for these reactions. If the fleas are not the problem, it could be an allergic reaction to food or an environmental factor. this is more complicated to treat and will sometimes require medications such as Steroids, anti histamines or cyclosporin in order to stop the allergy.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My 15 year old cat, has been having an itchiness around his face and neck. At first, the vet thought it was an allergy to fleas but no fleas. Yet he still wants to scratch at his face and at times makes himself bleed. I'm thinking its an allergy of s
Yes I think you are right and this is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be due to localized infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment (advocate or advantage), then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Cosmo is a 3 yrs old Male cat. Recently he began to scratch his ear and neck until all is bloody and raw looking. Also these places have lost fur. He is in pain. I gave him Benadryl tonight and is sleeping well. What products or home remedy can I use
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! This is likely due to allergies. Benadryl is good as is prednisolone for example. However, these are only going to help with the itch temporarily. However, it is crucial to get rid of the allergic component and treat the allergy as if not, the itch will continue. Also, it is crucial to treat the likely secondary infection. There is no at home treatments as the other medication that can be used in cats for this is a prescription medication called prednisolone. One thing you can do at home besides dealing with the possible allergies is using an e-collar which you can get from your local pet store or online to prevent any further self-trauma. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked u
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My cat has been scratching at the bottom of his neck for quite a while now, about a week or so. it's not normal because he keeps scratching until he bleeds and he does not stop! at first, it was just the back of his neck and one specific spot, and i
Hello. I'm sorry to hear that Rey is not doing well. It looks like he has a bacterial infection secondary to fleas or allergies, this will cause them to scratch excessively and then it can become infected which looks like it is now. He does need to see a vet to be able to start on some antibiotics. If you have financial concerns I would check with your shelter or local organizations to see if there someone can help. I would also try and keep him from scratching it if you can but I would not use the knee brace because that could actually cause more harm than good.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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